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Show It In the fierce light beating ou blni, uii'l it bla7od anI sparkled "Friends. my dear nnd weliome tru sts." lie ri.'J in ii ringing vol e, "I will tell you a Mitiiist story of the first finding of a great geni such as this. A getn known as tin diamond from the sky!" And there he told, and with a poetic diction he must have practiced, the story of the adventurer. Sir Arthur Stanley. sometimes caned the Fallen Star, founder of the Stanley family In Virginia and finder of the diamond from the sky. While the revelers hung spellbound at the Btory. he told of how oK) years ago the reckless Sir Arthur, younger son of the first Earl of Starry In England, Eng-land, had beeu banished to America to the English settlements In Virginia and had gone far up the Rappahannock river riv-er trails to steal away tin Indian prln- he whs obdurate In his sullen dt teind nuiiou to Lave his mvon&i In Uls own way. "llo back to Virginia. MLst- Est.lier,' he said, '"and leave the matter of inj enemies to me. 'i'uey have no mm h intluence a poor gypsy could gel no jus tlce against them lu the courts. If 1 told my story It wouldn't he listened to. But I can't be held here forevei, ami I will have u letter revenge hi a better way." And In this frame of mind, mingled with his tender attitude toward her. ' Esther und the English lawyer left him. Luke looked strange and grim with his cropped head and shaved face In his prison garb. He was not the rugged, picturesque figure Esther bad known since childhood, fie seem ed another being, a graven faced. Im placable persouilicatlou of a vengeance that could wait to strike. riardly had the newspaper sensation of John Powell's purchase of the diamond dia-mond died down than "the mad millionaire." mil-lionaire." as he was called for eccentricities, eccen-tricities, broke Into print again. Now the newspapers announced that to cele- Vivian realised the subterfuge thai Esther was an upparltiou would no longer avail. She shrieked, "Choose between us!" Arthur thrust her from him and through the door,, the one entiunce to the room, and turned the bronze bolt, while Vhiau screamed and beat outside out-side in rase and bullied desire for the diamond. But ere Arthur had thrust Vier from i he room Vivian's clawing grasp had lipped his velvet sleeve and shirt, and his arm was bare to the elbow as ho extended the diamond from the sky to Esther and wildly cried, be knew not why, for her to take It and to forgive him. But Esther's eyes were wide and wild, ller gaze was upon his naked arm, scarred and marked from the needle thrusts of his drug addiction. She had read of such tilings ia tho newspapers. Now 8he knew "That Is the reason 1" she gasped In horror and disgust. And with Indignant Indig-nant fervor she snatched the diamond from his grasp and threw it from her as an evil thing. Stricken with shame and remorse, Arthur bowed bis bead on the. table and sobbed. He had not seen or cared where the diamond had been flung, nor had Esther. It had hurtled through the open window and bad fallen, only to- be caught in the trembling branch of a rosebush faP beneath. Vivian's screams had not disturbed the noisy revelers in the ballroom, showering confetti and singing us they danced and drank, but Durand and Blair, mindful of the diamond, had followed. They found Vivian hysterically hyster-ically scrabbling at the door of the little lit-tle room, and Blair burst It in. Marmadukc Smythe was close behind be-hind the intruders. "Where is the diamond? Where 13 it?" shrieked Vivian, shaking Arthur I by the shoulder. Marmaduke Smythe gave his arm to Esther, and they walked proudly out -is;?.. - - ,j j y. - A' y ff fl i'.vi r-- -.-; :' -. ....... ... .... -: yv;, CHAPTER XLVIII. "Choose Between UsI" SMYTHE. a hunioiescpie figure in his helmet and armor and with the Incongruous crook handle umbrella, led Esther to the one quirt spot in ull the bedlam of romp and revelry. TMs was a small upstairs up-stairs reception or tea room, plainly plain-ly but richly furnished, und with a large window that overloo' I the Iuwn3 and tlower garden. A wide brauched palm lu a luiudsome Jardiniere Jardi-niere screened a small divan or settee near the center of the room. Beside It was a small ornate table. A great door led to the billiard room anil through the billiard room gave Ingress and egress to the quiet spot. A few couples strayed in and out, but for the most part Esther was alone in this small tearoom after Smythe left her to apprise ap-prise the master of the house that a lady wished to see him there. In the great ballroom the gay set of Los Augelcs were hilarious with wine and music. Blair, a handsome and striking figure in the full uniform of a Confederate ofilcer, forgot his schemes and plans and enjoyed himself with all the abandon of his reckless nature. Durand. Du-rand. arrayed in a conventionalized costume as the king of diamonds, looked look-ed like that court card come to life. "I am running true to form," he whispered to Vivian. ' "The pack' called call-ed me the king of diamonds, and here I am. you see. costumed for the part!" "You wouldn't have dared to dress in character abroad." laughed Vivian "The police of Europe look too con stantly for the king of diamonds!" "You "are right, my dear girl," replied Durand carelessly. "But, speaking ot Europe, even the carnival at Monte Carlo was no gayer scene than this. Certainly our friend, the whilom John Powell, is giring a princely fete. But what Is this big surprise he is to spring?" . "1 haven't the least idea," confessed Vivian. "lie Is very secretive of late.' Then her brow knit in a slight frown as she remembered that Arthur had promised to give her the diamond this night, but when she had sent him n note by her maid he had only returned her word that the diamond would be given her later In the evening. Where was he? What was his surprise? "I thought you would come us the Queen of Uetuts." remarked Durand. Interrupting br train of thought. "When we despoiled Europe you were kuowu In the pack as the Queen of Hearts, as I was known as the King of Diamonds. De Vaux. too. Is chary of our old pseudonyms. He touted for our victims at the select and exclusive clubs In the various capitals of Europe, so he was called the Knave of Clubs. Rut he. too. .seems to wish to forget. There he D. dancing with a dark oriental ori-ental dancer. He Is in the costume of a French zouave." "Let us forget the past and our pasts!" 6ald Vivian bitterly. Then Durand exchanged n smile with a charmer attired as a Neapolitan flower flow-er girl and whirled away lu the dance with her. Outside Quabba and the gardener peered through the windows at the gay-scene. gay-scene. In company with chauffeurs and coachmen. Upstairs Esther waited nervous aud Impatient, half regretting she had . .. . -i . 'J Powell and Il'uier ;r.-..l i. n h.v eagerly bid for tho uuiuu- u.U U.iJ. beu a talisman of death. Eighty thousand I am bid by Mr. Powell!" chanted the auctioneer. "Come, come, Mr. Graydon. Do not . let superstition stop you. The lion would have killed the lady and tho jealous husband would have killed Sam Sanliey even had this diamond not figured fig-ured in the case perhaps. All great diamonds have their dramatic history. Jiemember the ICohinoor und Orloff dhi-. dhi-. . i its. This diamond may be a lucky for all we know despite what bus ;;.IH'd." Aillnir kiew better. Blair knew bet-rr. bet-rr. and so did Vivian and the English lawyer, Smythe. So did Durand, the international diamond thief aud swindler. swin-dler. And so did his accomplice and Jackal, the dapper Count de Vaux. But Homer Graydon only knew that Vivian Marston's favor depended on the diamond. dia-mond. "Eighty-five thousand dollar!" he cried; then he gulped and grew ashen pale again. To raise $S3.000 cash to pay for this bauble to give a woman would be his rulu". "Ninety thousand!" cried John Powell. Pow-ell. Homer Graydon guve the auctioneer a negative Jerk of the head In reply to his inquiring gaze. "Ninety thousand! Ninety thousand'. Are you all done? Ninety thousand once! Ninety thousand, twice! Ninety thousand, for the last time!" De paused. paus-ed. "Going, going, gone! Sold to Mr. John Powell for $90,000!" Arthur scribbled a check .as the crowd buzzed and swayed around him Vivian gave a hysterical laugh and ( hitched Arthur by the arm as the auctioneer auc-tioneer handed him the diamond from the sky. Then as the purchaser and his little coterie of friends passed through the dispersing crowd Vivian looked noroer Graydon in the face deliberately de-liberately and turned her back upon him. In her room at her modest hotel Esther Es-ther debated nervously with herself. The rank Injustice done Luke, who hal beeu railroaded to prison by the influence in-fluence of Blair Stanley and Frank Durand while Arthur had never Interfered Inter-fered made her more bitter tliau she had been at the strange attitude Arthur Ar-thur had taken toward her since his recovery from his injuries. Humors that his mind was u fleeted as a result of his hurts were rife in Los An.c'cs. where those who had formerly called him "the golden man." now designate 1 Arthur as "John Powell, the mad mil Iionalre." For herself she would never again intrude upon Arthur, surrounded as he iv;h by sycophants and parasites who worked him evil. But for Luke Lovell. done a prent Injustice, she w-jnld ure one last appeal before she returned to liichmond und Hngar. The remorse and contrition of Luke that he had ever been disloyal to her und Hagar. Esther felt genuine. She determined to take the English lawyer Smythe into her confidence, and found occasion to send Quabba to Smythe with a message. mes-sage. Lawyer Smythe was also preparing to leave Los Angeles. He had shipped his precious deer head by express with much niLsglving and foreboding of barm befalling it ere it reached his dearly beloved England, where he was shortly to follow. Like Esther, the eccentric ec-centric but loyal English lawyer was becoming discouraged and dismayed at the puzzling conduct of the American heir, a fugitive from Justice In Virginia, Vir-ginia, flourishing under the name of John Powell, a thousand leagues from Stanley hall.' Virginia, "I confess it is an enigma to me." he explained to Esther. "Of course. Blair He- Took From His Neck th Great Gleaming Diamond. SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS. CHAP-TERS. ! A feud has existed between Colonel Arthur Ar-thur Stanley nnd lils cousin, JuJse Lamar Etanlcy. ovtr an heirloom, the Uiamonil from the eky. found in a fallen meteor by an ancestor. Also, tho succession to the Stanley earlJom In England may come to an American. When a daughter la born to the colonel and the mother die the colonel buys a Gipsy boy end BubstUutcs him. Three years later the gypsy mother, having had no part In this bargain, steals the girl. Esther, reared in secret, and leaves her son undetected aa the heir. The fypsy has obtained possession of the diamond dia-mond from the 8ky. and a document with the Stanley secret. Years later Haga.. gypsy queen, returns to Virginia with Esther. Es-ther. Dr. Lee. the late Colonel Stanley's , friend, adopts Esther. Arthur Stanley, boii ' of Hagar, falls In love with Esther, and so does his companion and cousin, Blah Stanley, rightful male heir of Stanley. In etealing the diamond Klalr c.iuses tlu-death tlu-death of the doctor and tries later to i-ut the blame on Arthur, who takes the gc-m Arthur Stanley eludes his pu'-uers and loins Ilagai. who reveals his identity and upbraids him for his wild life Needing money, lie (jaw us the diamond In Richmond. Rich-mond. At a b:i!l. at which an advemui-ess, advemui-ess, Vivian Marstoa, wears Hie borrowed gem, Luke Lovell. Ilagar's gyf-y guard. Etcals the diamond. Arthur leaves Rich mond and goes to the west. (Ju;ibba, organ or-gan grinder, befriends Esther. Tom Elake, a detective of Richmond who Is hired by Hagar. produrcs llngei prints convicting i:tiiir. lUcar proposes? eilenee to Airs. :in'ey as llie S,r'ee ol JIagar's and Esther's being received In Fairfax society. Rlalr strikes down Hagar Ha-gar and steals the" hew .nts, len :p; -thn yps:;-q,jreii-d-vrTe.'.'tar liiariiiaduKe Smythe, lawyer, arrives to announce Arthur Is heir to the deceased Earl of Stanley. Learning Arthur U a fugitive he -seeks Rlair Instead. To win Vivian, Blair deals the diamond, later marrying her and leaving for the west. Their train Is robbed. Vivian losing the diamond, which a slain train robber drops In the deert Tho 1100.000 he stole Is found by Arthur, now known aa John Powell, sheep herder Luke Lovell, driven from the camp after learning Hagar's secret, leaves to seek Blair. Hagar Is under treatment and Esther Es-ther Is In Richmond society. Abe Bloom, gambler, knows Blair's guilt and covets the diamond. Tho diamond Is later picked up- by an Indian woman. Dr. Lee, Arthur learns, died of heart disease. Becoming very rich he buys Stanley hall, sold at auction, through Blake, nnd also provides for Hagar Ha-gar and Esther. Luke Lovell buys the diamond dia-mond from the squaw, but loses It In a Ught. Vivian, desiring aid to ensnare Arthur, Ar-thur, Bends for Blair. Vivian Is naved from drowning by Powell, Pow-ell, who Is infatuated by her Smythe f nds the diamond and gives It to Esther to deliver to Arthur. Blair and Luke go to Arthur' tt varht e.nd find Esther there. V f . ; ' ! ' f 5 f v - ' . : ' tX ' i J -' y - ' o ' :' - - , v c . cess. lie told of Sir Arthur's capture by the savage red men. his torture by stake und lire, and then the fall of the meteor in the night that had saved his life and deilied him, for the Indians had taken it us a slgu of the Great Spirit's displeasure. ' Then he told of the finding of the great diamond In the cooled meteor aud of his ancestor bearing It away and consigning it to his heirs to be worn when a descendant of his would be called to the English earldom, "it is called the diamond from the sky. the "charm against harm.' " concluded the speaker dramatically. "Tor none save a true descendant of the adventurer who found It or the woman he loves can possess it lest it bring disaster aud death!" Thus Arthur coucluded und a groom led the horse away. The crowd cheered, cheer-ed, the baud struck up a lilting measure meas-ure and the dance went on. Removing his plumed hat and wig. Arthur led Vivian ujwtalrs to the reception re-ception room that they might be alone. As they ascended the stairs a great uproar up-roar of laughter rose lu the ballroom. Marmaduke Smythe had beeu standing stand-ing ou u chair to better see aud hear the Ktorr of the diamond from the sky. In moving to get down to convey Esther's Es-ther's message to the dismounted speaker. speak-er. Smythe had brokeu an electric light wall bracket and as a result his metal armor had xhort circuited n live wire. lie wus rescued with a smoking plume. I hnrdiv any the worse for the electrical ! L "Where it th diamond?'' shrieked Vivian. in silence and left the schemers and their victim. Below the gayety in the ballroom was at Its height. Outside the dawn crimsoned in the east and a hand reached to the rosebush beneath the window and bore away the diamond from the sky! to des continued. n - . - - - ,i ? . . " - ::: . , - c V., .. ;. - ; . : k : ' . V : ' i nt "', I Smythe, In Armor, Persisted In Carrying Carry-ing His Great English Umbrella. brate his recovery from his recent In Juries Mr. John Powell would give a grcut fete, the first formal house warm-lug warm-lug of his gand new mansion. At 1 1 1 fete, the papers slated, the great dia mond that 1;1 causedthe tnu'i'vui'ud bauknyr-o-jf--i,C--l;" iitiey-fcus would'.-3U ,e in a beusational surprise. It was yian who had suggested the fete, a t' iume affair. Arthur, tor-meuted tor-meuted as he was with the devilish suggestion of insane delusions and ud dieted to evil drugs, welcomed auy excitement, ex-citement, any dissipation, to make him forget the attacks of remorse that ever and uuon obsessed him. Like many others in the same situation. Arthur believed his evil companions were his good friends and true, for ever they fed his vanities and flattered and fawned upon him. Vlvlau lived in an elyslum of reckless and costly luxury. There were high revels nightly by the mad millionaire and his friends in the gay resorts of Los Angeles, and now there was to come the crowulng effort in wasteful und luxurious prodlgallty-the prodlgallty-the Powell costume balL Arthur abandoned all business affairs af-fairs to Blair. Now that he had the diamond from the sky, Vivian was exerting ex-erting every wile to obtain It. And Arthur promised he would present It to her fittingly at the fete. But there Is no honor among thieves. Already Durand was planning to cheat Blair after Arthur, as John Powell, was ruined. Durand broached this t Vivian, who played her cards tactful ly and seemingly encouraged him In his treachery to Blair. Her one desire was the diamond, und that was to be hers the night of the fete. She could hardly wait for It. The night came, as all nights will. Esther had decided the best way to intercede for Luke would be to Intrude upon Arthur at the fete aud make him promise to secure Luke's release from prison. Smythe accompanied Esther in a tax-h tax-h ab to the fete. He was attired m n knight In armor, but persisted in carrying car-rying his great English umbrella. He explained he did not wish to get wet and become rusted lu uls armor In case it rained. When informed that the rainy season in this section of the cot itry "as yet some months ofl 'nyt' n nfl j replied that rain knew no seasons. He had seen It ralu iu Lon don when even the Times had predict ed fair weather. So he would run no risk und would fake his umbrella. "1 feel better when I carry some thing." he udJed. "When I curried my game trophy, the deer head. I did not need an umbrella, in fact. It did not rain while I carried It. which remarkable. So now I shall carry the umbrella, especially as I have shipped the deer head t Loudon, and I d hope It will not be stolen or Injured it. transit." At the Powell mansion, entering with the crush of maskers. Esther met Smythe found the butler, nrvayed as n gorgeous major douio. receiving the 1 guests, as the host was to make h.s ?ntran e In nouic novel und surprising 1 manner. It was whispered. hi fact the ostume fete was n lavish hohe mlan reveJ. Wine Mowed, pun Ii va ' served on every side, and the miest ' made themselves nt home an I Joineii ' In the dame and revels. A lluurii riau band played In the grand ball room and u string othestra in the cou-' cou-' servutory. v "yj 1 k .. " i ' .... -' J '. yy r. ( , ' "hl'f , A H 'A - i ;-'K C - v . v b a C y' r - ifr yyr r , . ' - ; ZZjpy7 hn , r -v y-yjJ y.. " r jf -i-K. Esther ond Quabba escape while Blair and Luke battle. Blair In the meantime baa Joined Vivian In Los Angeles. Durand, Du-rand, "king o diamonds," a crook known to Vivian, goea to a saloon to try to discover dis-cover the diamond. There he meets Luke Lovell. Esther and Arthur appear on the scene. Tho diamond Is lost In a melee Esther saves Arthur, who Is Injured, and he goes to Ios Angeles In car of the phy-slcl'jn-crook. Durand. Esther follows and la refused admittance to see him In the meantime the diamond is found by two bill posters, one of whom murders the other for It. Arthur Is "doped" by Durand. Du-rand. Vaux and Vivian, although Blalr. Who has taken charge of Arthur's business busi-ness afTilrs. protests. The diamond passes In dice play from the bill tKJSter to Santley, circus owner, who Is killed, and the diamond Is put up t auction as part of his estate. Blalr and Vivian falsify a telegram from Blake to Arthur, making Arthur believe he Buffered Buffer-ed from hallucination In thinking he saw - Esther. Luke Is "railroaded" to prison by Blalr At the auction la Homer Graydon. an aged admirer of Vivian, who has promised prom-ised to buy the diamond for her. CHAPTER XLVII. "Sold to John Powell!" m f UE you all through, gentlemen?" V reiterated the auctioneer. "I have been offered $7!U0O for this magnificent diamond. It? previous history is uuknowu. but local experts have pronounced it to lie worth ten times the sum you offer. Where did It come from? That I cannot fell you. but by the decree of the court It Is adjudged an asset of the Santley circus, bankrupt. As pitch the pur chaser's title will lie valid. Ant I offered offer-ed any more? Seventy thousand, seventy sev-enty thousand, seventy thousand!" Homer (Iniydou. wealthy spend thrift that be was. grew ashcu faced. Seventy thousand dollars would tax him to raise, but Vivian Marston gae Li I in an iillurtiig smile, and as his pride was. also at stake, he made an effort to fcinlle back at Vivian and nodded to John Powell us if to say, "fin higher If you can!" The rtval bidder laughed recklessly. Once more he felt all the daring carelessness care-lessness of his wlhl youth as Arthur Stanley of Stanley Hall. "Eighty thousand!" he cried. Vivian was in a flutter of unholy de tight to realize she was the Inspiration of the money mad rivalry between John 1 1 Esther Was Alone In the Tea Room. come. Then she remembered Luke, unjustly In prison, aud her resolution returned. In the ballroom below Smythe, her eccentric yet faithful knight, wandered about seeking the master of the man slou. Suddenly the music stopped. There was a fanfare of trumpets, and the ray t of a calcium light were turned from the gallery toward the great pur pie velvet curtains at the end of the ballroom. These were drawn, aside by two slim young girls lu the costume of Tudor pages, nnd there between the parted velvet curtains, full lu the grenl I encll of light directed at him. sat the figure of a cavalier on a great white horse with crimson trappings, lm-movnble lm-movnble us a statue stood lider nnd steed. Then the band crashed n march, and through the ballroom to the center a me rider and horse. Here thev paused, paus-ed, nnd the rider made n sweeping bow fo the startled assemblage. It was Arthur Sranley of Stanley hall. Virginia, but known here, sa veto ve-to a few. as John Powell, rightly "the ma 1 million lire;-' lie dismounted nnd tok frrTii his ne-k the great di uuon l lu its curious locket aud chain. He held They Found Luke Contrite. Stanley, as the next In succession, can uot be ome the Earl of Stauley so long as Arthur Stanley lives. That Arthu. Stanley lives under uuother name unlj adds to the coufuslou of the wh"U tally thing!" Then Esther told him about Luke and because he had a kindly heart li his queer body the English lawyer nt oinpuiiled Esther to the prison on u visiting day. They found Luke con i rite and tender both toward Esthci jnd his gypsy sovereign. Hagar. Hi beg; e l to be remembered to Hagar tun hat she be assured that once he wa nt of prison and had his revetr'e In .vould return 1 the tribe and Krc Ha -,ar faithfully as head man again. Bu' Arthur Begged Her to Take It and to Forgive Him. mishap, when Vivian aud Arthur entered en-tered the room where Esther waited. They did not .see the slight figure behind be-hind the palm. Vivian threw her arms around Ar- bur and kissed him. "Oho me the diamond. Arthur, dear." !ie murmured. But Arthur drew back with a startled star-tled cry. for there, looking full at them with scornful gaze, wus Esther! |